按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
where the right of redemption is exercised。 One fief in Berry; that of
Cormesse held by the archbishop of Bourges; comprising eighty…five
arpents; besides a portion of the tithes; and producing 2;100 livres
per annum; admitting a mutation every twenty years; annually brings to
the seignior of Blet 105 livres。
Besides the charges indicated there are the following:
1。 To the curate of Blet; his fixed salary。 According to royal
enactment in 1686; this should be 300 livres。 According to arrangement
in 1692; the curate; desirous of assuring himself of this fixed
salary; yielded to the seignior all the dimes; novales; etc。 The edict
of 1768 having fixed the curate's salary at 500 livres; the curate
claimed this sum through writs。 The canons of Dun…le…Roi and the prior
of Chaumont; possessing tithes on the territory of Blet; were obliged
to pay a portion of it。 At present it is at the charge of the seignior
of Blet。
2。 To the guard; besides his lodging; warming and the use of three
arpents; 200 livres。
3。 To the steward or registrar; to preserve the archives; look
after repairs; collect lods et ventes; and fines; 432 livres; besides
the use of ten arpente。
4。 To the king; the vingtièmes。 Formerly the estates of Blet and
Brosses paid 810 livres for the two vingtièmes and the two sous per
livre。 After the establishment of the third vingtième they paid 1;216
livres。
Notes:
'1' Archives nationales; G。 319 (〃Etat actuel de la Direction de Bourges au point de vue des aides;〃 1774)。
'2' Blet; at the present day; contains 1;629 inhabitants。 (This was around 1884; in 1996 it remains
a small commune and a village of 800 people on the route nationale N76 between Bourges and Sancoins。 SR。)
'3' The farms of Blet and Brosses really produce nothing for the proprietor; inasmuch as the tithes and the
champart (field…rents); (articles 22 and 23); are comprehended in the rate of the leases。
…
END…NOTE 3:
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL AND NOMINAL REVENUES OF
ECCLESIASTICAL DIGNITIES AND BENEFICES。
According to Raudot (〃La France avant la Revolution;〃 p。84); one…
half extra must be added to the official valuation; according to
Boiteau (〃Etat de la France en 1789;〃 p。195); this must be tripled and
even quadrupled。 I think that; for the episcopal sees; one…half extra
should be added and; for the abbeys and priories; double; and
sometimes triple and even quadruple the amount。 The following facts
show the variation between official and actual sums。
1。 In the 〃Almanach Royal;〃 the bishopric of Troyes is valued at
14;000 livres; in 〃France Ecclésiastique of 1788;〃 at 50;000。
According to Albert Babeau (〃Histoire de la Révolution dans le
department de l'Aube〃); it brings in 70;000 livres。 In 〃France
Ecclésiastique;〃 the bishopric of Strasbourg is put down at 400;000
livres。 According to the Duc de Lévis (〃Souvenirs;〃 p。 156) it brings
in at least 600;000 livres income。
2。 In the same work; the abbey of Jumiéges is assigned for 23;000
livres。 I find; in the papers of the ecclesiastic committee; it brings
to the abbé 50;000 livres。 In this work the abbey of Bèze is estimated
at 8;000 livres。 I find it bringing to the monks alone 30;000; while
the abbés portion is at least as large。 (〃De l'Etat religieux; par les
abbés de Bonnefoi et Bernard。;〃 1784)。 The abbé thus receives 30;000
livres; Bernay (Eure);。 is officially reported at 16;000。 The
〃Doleances〃 of the cahiers estimate it at 57;000。 Saint…Amand is put
down as bringing to the Cardinal of York 6;000 livres and actually
brings him 100;000。 (De Luynes; XIII。 215)。
Clairvaux; in the same work; is put down at 9;000; and in
Warroquier (〃Etat Général de la France en 1789;〃) at 60;000。 According
to Beugnot; who belongs to the country; and a practical man; the abbé
has from 300;000 to 400;000 livres income。
Saint…Faron; says Boiteau; set down at 18;000 livres; is worth
120;000 livres。
The abbey of Saint…Germain des Près (in the stewardships); is put
down at 100;000 livres。 The Comte de Clermont; who formerly had it;
leased it at 160; 000 livres; 〃not including reserved fields and all
that the farmers furnished in straw and oats for his horses。〃 (Jules
Cousin; 〃Comte de Clermont and his Court。〃)
Saint…Waas d'Arras; according to 〃La France Ecclésiastique;〃 brings
40;000 livres。 Cardinal de Rohan refused 1;000 livres per month for
his portion offered to him by the monks。 (Duc de Lévis; 〃Souvenirs;〃
p。 156)。 Its value thus is about 300;000 livres。
Remiremont; the abbess always being a royal princess; one of the
most powerful monasteries; the richest and best endowed; is officially
valued at the ridiculous sum of 15;000 livres。
END…NOTE 4:
ON THE EDUCATION OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES。
An entire chapter might be devoted to this subject; I shall cite
but a few texts。
(Barbier; 〃Journal;〃 October; 1670)。 The Dauphine has just given
birth to an infant。
〃La jeune princesse en est a sa quatrieme nourrice。 。 。 。 Jai
appris à cette occasion que tout se fait par forme à la cour; suivant
un protocole de médecin; en sorte que c'est un miracle d'élever un
prince et une princesse。 La nourrice n'a d'autres fonctions que de
donner à têter à l'enfant quand on le lui apporte; elle ne peut pas
lui toucher。 Il y a des remueuses et femmes préposées pour cela; mais
qui n'ont point d'ordre à recevoir de la nourrice。 Il y a des heures
pour remuer l'enfant; trois ou quatre fois dans la journée。 Si
l'enfant dort; on le réveille pour le remuer。 Si; après avoir été
changé; il fait dans ses langes; il reste ainsi trois ou quatre heures
dans son ordure。 Si une epingle le pique; la nourrice ne doit pas
l'?ter; il faut chercher et attendre une autre femme; l'enfant crie
dans tons ces cas; il se tuurmente et s'échauffe; en sorte que c'est
une vraie misère que toutes ces cérémonies。〃
(Madame de Genlis; 〃Souvenirs de Félicie;〃 p。74。 Conversation with
Madame Louise; daughter of Louis XV。; and recently become a
Carmelite)。
〃I should like to know what troubled you most in getting accustomed
to your new profession?
〃You could never imagine;〃 she replied; smiling。 〃It was the
descent of a small flight of steps alone by myself。 At first it seemed
to me a dreadful precipice; and I was obliged to sit down on the steps
and slide down in that attitude。〃 … 〃A princess; indeed; who had
never descended any but the grand staircase at Versailles; leaning on
the arm of her cavalier in waiting and surrounded by pages;
necessarily trembled on finding herself alone on the brink of steep
winding steps。 (Such is) the education; so absurd in many respects;
generally bestowed on persons of this rank; always watched from
infancy; followed; assisted; escorted and everything anticipated;
(they) are thus; in great part; deprived of the faculties with which